Game of the Month: November 2004

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It was our toughest decision ever, but which Triple A title took the Novum Title?

By IGNPS2

With all the videogames that are released each and every month, it can be quite a difficult task to decide which title to spend your hard-earned money on. Granted you could go by our review scores alone and weed through the long list of names to find something that scored high or low, but what if you had somewhere else to turn? Rather than wait until the end of the year like for our big award blowout, your incredibly masculine friends at IGN.com have decided to employ a monthly tribute to the weeks that were. We're resolved to illustrate to our readers what we thought was the very best game for each system over the past month, and tell you the reason why.

While some of us often chime in with our comments at the end of reviews, for the most part, the reviews on IGN are primarily written by one editor; in this feature we get all of the editors on a particular channel to vote for our Game of the Month. What better way to represent your channel than to speak your mind all at once?

How does it work? Simple. Any game released in the past month is eligible for the award and is taken through a battery of tests by every editor on that particular channel. After we've finished evaluating each game that comes down the pipeline, we put our heads together and decide on a single "best of" winner that's worthy of the title "IGN Game of the Month". Pretty straightforward, don't you think?

Now that we have the guidelines out of the way, let's move on and congratulate this month's winner...

Why We Picked It: When you're up against titles like Jak 3 and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater in the same month and still manage to be the best game on the block, you're definitely something special. And special is exactly what Insomniac's Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal truly is, as it's the single best game we played in the month of November -- a month that ranked as one of the single best in the PlayStation 2's four year history.

But the accolades are worth it. As not only does Up Your Arsenal offer an enhanced take on the same excellent gameplay mechanics that made first two games such critical hits, it also incorporated several new elements that truly pushes the experience over the top. Whether it's the five-stage weapons, the incredible graphical technology, impressive soundtrack, or excellent level design, there's a little something here for everybody. And when you throw in the fact that it has the single best online head-to-head of any game we've played yet, it's position in the pantheon of PS2 legends is secured. Get it and get it now!

Why We Picked It: Naughty Dog's concluding chapter of its popular Jak and Daxter trilogy comes to a smashing end with the stellar action/adventure Jak 3. Learning from the mistakes made by its predecessor, Naughty Dog has eliminated the drawn-out fetch questing of Jak II and has replaced it with a much tighter and more naturally-flowing sort of game. In Jak 3, you'll always have something to do thanks to the superbly-designed levels and smart progression system, players will constantly learn something new, be consistently challenged, and continually entertained.

Why We Picked It: We know what you're thinking: "There's never been two Game of the Month runners-up before," and you're right... there hasn't. But so awesome what the lineup of software this month that there's no way we could leave out Konami's terrific stealth/action comeback, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Incorporating a much tighter storyline, more imaginative characters, and a heavier emphasis on action than 2001's Sons of Liberty, Snake Eater brings a lot of interesting ideas to the table -- especially its use of camouflage and seemingly unlimited options when it comes to defeating your enemies. It's doubtful you'll fine a more cinematic and complex action game this year, and we wouldn't have it any other way.

It's hard to believe that there's just one month left before 2004 comes to a close, and it's even harder to imagine the PlayStation 2's lineup getting any better than it already is. Despite our reservations, however, December looks to continue to the PS2's strong software trend with titles such as Growlanser Generations, Viewtiful Joe 2, and NFL Street 2. But which game will stand out from the rest? Tune in again next month to find out!